Free Run For Internet Providers

The Centre will soon announce a series of measures to unshackle Internet services in the country and pave the way for problem-free entry of private Internet service providers.

According to a recent gazette notification, the government has practically done away with licence fees for Internet service providers and has permitted them to set up their own international gateways. It has allowed local tariff billing even for long-distance calls to Internet servers. And it has authorised the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) society and National Informatics Centre to be direct access providers for international connectivity for the Internet service providers.

The government has cleared a proposal to levy a Re 1 licence fee on Internet service providers. Earlier, it had decided that they would not have to pay any fee in the first five years of operation.

By allowing organisations like the department of electronics to set up their own gateways, the government has taken another step in breaking VSNL's monopoly over international gateway access.

Internet service providers will be "allowed to provide such gateways after obtaining security clearances for which the interface for private Internet service providers shall only be with the department of telecom (DoT), which will set up a mechanism for obtaining security clearance from different security agencies", according to the gazette.

The decision to bill long-distance calls to Internet servers at local rates is also significant since only 40 cities and towns in the country have servers, or access nodes. "Internet access nodes will be opened by DoT and authorised Internet service providers at all district headquarters and local charging areas by January 26, 2000," the gazette states.

"As an interim measure, and till nodes are provided in all local charging areas, access to the nearest Internet access node will be on local call rates, progressively with effect from August 15, 1998. Internet service providers will be responsible for ensuring that this facility is not misused for telephone traffic," it adds.

Other measures decided upon by the cabinet are:

Leased line rentals for basic, cellular and other value-added service licensees halved.

Setting up of call centres _ online customer service centres _ allowed, for which DoT and basic telecom service providers will make available bandwidth.

Interconnectivity between government data networks and closed user groups permitted.

Internet access through cable TV media allowed without additional licensing.

Setting up of High-Tech Habitats mooted; to start with in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi and Bhubaneswar.